The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-06-24

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has a private secretary at a good salary.
Next comes the lord treasurer Of the house.
hold, who pays the bills and gets salary Of
Ell 900 year. These three constitute the
board Of green cloth, and sit as judges of all
offenses committed in the palace; and to as
sist them and keep the record they have one
secretary at 81 500 year las it would be in
American money and three accounting clerks
at 81 900 each. Then there is the clerk Of the
kitchen at S2,5OO year, the chef at the
same and his four assistant cooks at 81, $50
each, the chief confectioner at 81 500 and his
assistant at 81, 200, the chief butler at $4,000,
the table decker at 81 900, and his assistants
at salaries somewhat less. There are also
yeomen Of the pantries, ladies of the linen
room and vast array Of chambermaids,
lamp lighters, washers, etc. The coal depart
ment alone employs thirteen persons.
Directly about her majesty's person
are the mistress of the robes, the groom
of the robes, the keeper of the pri-
vate purse or financial secretary to the
queen, eight maids of honor, as many
bed chamber women and numerous maids
for other functions-all these under control
of the lord chamberlain, who receives
10000 year and is assisted by the groom
of the stole. Next to the ladies who attend
directly on the queen come the gentlemen Of
the private household, viz: Eight lords in
waiting, as many grooms in waiting and
divers gentlemen ushers Of the privy chamber,
Lgrooms Of the privy chamber, grooms Of the
great chamber and pages OF the back stairs
In short, life at the court even in the most
ordinary times is carried on with such pom
derous social machinery and routine that
it almost makes one tired to hear Of it. But
in addition to all these, there are two distinct
sets of officials for extraordinary occasions,
with independent functions and different
codes Of ceremonial and etiquette.
At the head of one Of these Is the marshal of
the ceremonies. He manages the etiquette on
oil state occasions and conducts foreign
ambassadors to the queens presence The
other is the court Of the marshalsea, which
has legal jurisdiction of all crimes and mis-
demeanors committed anywhere within the
queens private domain. 1t is a regular court
OF JUSTICE with the same general law as other
English courts, but with far more ceremony
and vastly more expense in proportion to the
work it does. The knight marshal, who
is the same as sheriff or chief Of police to this
court, is a tolerably important parsonage
with 81, 800 a year, and has eight deputies,
besides a few sergeants and secretaries. The
foregoing gives but mere outline Of the
system. There are departments Of music,
amusement, medicine, charity and literature,
in all Of which liberal salaries are paid.
The guest invited to dine with the queen
is expected to remain at the castle over night.
Arriving late in the afternoon he is conducted
at once to his apartment, where he receives
call from the master Of the household, now
Sir J. C. Cowell, and if he desires. can have
tea and lunch at once. Full court dress is
required for the dinner; and at 8 o'clock the
guests are conducted to the great gallery, as
it is called-a private picture gallery, never
opened to the public even when they are
allowed to visit the CASTLE At $50 the queen
and Princess Beatrice enter, salute the guests
and lead the way to the dining room, which,
if the company is SMALL is comparatively
cozy little room, with broad window OPEN
ing upon the central court Of the palace. Sir j.
G. Cowell arranges the guests and presides at
the table. Conversation is not in order,
though the queen often chats with her
daughter. The time for eating is short, then
the queen and the ladies retire and few min
utes after the master Of the household gives
the signal for the gentlemen to leave, and
thereafter they can do very much as they
please, as they will meet the queen no more.
They can smoke or play billiards or whist in
the rooms for those purposes; they
can listen to music in the drawing room, or
read in the library, Or yawn and stretch
themselves in their own apartments, as, no
doubt, many Of them feel like doing. They
can retire when they please and have break |
East in their own rooms, or in the gentle |
mems hall down stairs, as they like, but they |
are expected to leave as early as II next day. |
Meanwhile the queen has spent the evening |
in her private room, has retired early, risen |
and breakfasted early, and taken her morn
ing drive before noon.